Advent Calendar 2011 – Volunteer Work

I got up this morning with the intention of writing my blog post first thing. That is, until I saw the topic. That reminded me that I had a flyer due today before Roundtable. What is Roundtable, you ask? Roundtable is a monthly meeting for Cub Scout Leaders. I am the Cub Scout Activities Chairperson and I am running a major event for the district in March. Rushing along, I got that done just minutes before I had to leave. Where did I have to go? To the school to volunteer. I was Library Helper today.

I can’t think of any place I would have rather been this morning than at the school library with my daughter and her classmates. I had a great time checking out their books for them and visiting with the librarian. Normally I’m the computer helper and this was the first time I got to visit the library. The librarian was wonderful and we instantly struck up conversation. I suspect there is something that bonds us nerdy book types. That’s fine with me. I let the teacher know that I had a great time and would be happy to be invited back as Library Helper any time!

I don’t know of anyone in my family who ever really volunteered much. My mom worked hard as a single parent and definitely did not have the time to volunteer for very many things. I guess you could say that I’m the extreme opposite. I remember how much I looked up to the room moms when I was in elementary school (I still remember them all) and I knew that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up. Mission accomplished!

There is a saying in Scouts that many people first have an introduction to their vocation or avocation in Boy Scouts. This is true. The Cub Scout program has an Academic & Sports Belt Loop known as Heritage Belt Loop and the family tree requirement for this badge was the very thing that got me so addicted to genealogy nearly a decade ago. I still have that pedigree chart that I wrote while planning that den meeting for my husband, the leader. For several years I have been a Genealogy Merit Badge counselor and I couldn’t be happier than I am when introducing a boy to family history and seeing a true interest develop as he finds his ancestors on a census record or passenger list. That’s what it’s all about!

Next week I will spend time at two different schools on three different days. One day I will be using hot glue to attach graham crackers to milk cartons for the foundations of the kindergarten gingerbread house project. What could be more fun than hot glue? I can think of a few things but it will all be worth it when I see those smiling little five year old faces. ;0)